Machine for crimping metal connectors



' Oct. 3, 1967 c. A. COWSERT 3,344,499

I MACHINE FOR CRIMPING METAL CONNECTORS Filed Aug. 11, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR OHARLESA. OOWSERT BY mdzmym, $224 M5 ATTORNEYS Oct. 3, 1967 c. A. COWSERT 3,344,499

MACHINE FOR CRIMPING METAL CONNECTORS Filed Aug. 11, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CHARLES A. COWSERT Oct. 3, 1967 c. A. COWSERT 3,344,499

MACHINE FOR CRIMPING METAL CONNECTORS Filed Aug. 11, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 0 r CHARLES A. con 55m BY 7 zw/M ATTORNEYS Oct. 3, 1967 c. A. cows RT MACHINE FOR CRIMPING METAL CONNECTORS Filed Aug. 11, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 PRESSBEE 4 INVENTOR CHARLES A. aowsmr AT'ro msys United States Patent 3,344,499 MACHINE FOR CING METAL CONNECTORS Charles A. Cowsert, Council Grove, Kans., asslgnor to Monarch Molding, Inc., Council Grove, Karts, a corporation of Kansas Filed Aug. 11, 1965, Scr. No. 478,880 15 Claims. (Cl. 29-203) The improved shape of the article made by this machine, and resulting from this present invention constitutes an inventive improvement over previously known bridging connectors with conductor clips. Those previously known connectors in the past have been made by hand and it was difficult to form a serpentine bend in the protruding end portions of the bridging connectors to form U-shaped electrical clips all facing in the same direction for enabling placement of the bridging connector on a terminal block. The clips had to be accurately formed to embrace the bridged terminals with pressure and contact surfaces on both sides of the terminal in addition to the fact that the bight of each clip had to be accurately located relative to the other clips to assure placement of the bridging connector in accurate engagement with all desired bridged terminals. The previously known hand made connectors required multiple handling of the workpiece with many rejects resulting in an extremely high cost per unit item.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a novel machine for forming, in one cyclic operation, a serpentine connector clip on one or more terminal ends of conductors mounted in a common dielectric base.

A still further object resides in the provision of a novel machine for simultaneously forming, in one cyclic operation, a serpentine connector clip on each of a plurality of terminal ends of conductors mounted in a common dielectric base member, each conductor having at least two of the terminal ends. In conjunction with this object a further object resides in the universal nature of the machine enabling forming of clips on multiple conductor end portions spaced along the common base member as well as on several conductor end portions spaced side by side in the base member.

In conjunction with the foregoing objects a further object resides in the provision of a machine for making terminal end clips on conductors by crimping, the machine having three relatively shiftable tool devices mounted on a common base, a first and second of the tool devices being shiftable relative to each other and also relative to a third tool device, the third tool device comprising one or more abutments about each of which is formed the bight of a C-shaped crimped end clip and the first and second of the tool devices forcing the terminal end portion of a conductor against and bending it around an associated abutment of the third tool device and, in cooperation with the third tool device, shaping reflex bends in the leg of the clip on both sides of the clip bight.

In conjunction with the preceding object and also as an improved article, a still further object resides in the unique provision in a connector workpiece of an elongate semi-rigid dielectric base from one side of which projects at right angles, at least one terminal end portion of a 3,344,499 Patented Oct. 3, 1%67 v conductor which will be made into a C-shaped conductor clip disposed parallel to the side and extending in the long dimension of the base, the opening of the C-shaped clip facing one end of the base, and an semi-cylindrical lug or protuberance integral with the base adjacent to and engaging the terminal end portion of the conductor on the side opposite the clip opening, said base and lug of the workpiece, together with a holding jig piece, comprising one of the first and second tool pieces used to make the completed workpiece.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision, in the machine referred to in the two previous objects, of multiple tool elements in each of the three tool devices to enable simultaneously making C-shaped conductor end clips in a plurality of terminal end portions of conductors projecting in parallel arrangement from and normal to a side face of a common semi-rigid dielectric base. In connection with this object it is contemplated that a plurality of such conductor end portions can project at predetermined spaced apart positions along the length of the elongate base member and/or at various locations across the width of the base member at the same longitudinal location. In any event, each of the terminal end portions will have associated with it an individual semicylindrical back up lug on the side of the terminal end portion opposite the open face of the clip which will be made from the end portion.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a connector having a semi-rigid dielectric base member and at least one conductor, part of which is secured and embedded inside the base member and a terminal end portion of which projects from a fiat side of the base member and is crimped into a C-shaped conductor end clip closely adjacent the flat side of the base member, the terminal end portion, as it projects from the base member, immediately passing first through an abrupt curved bend toward the base member then, by means of a reverse reflex bend, forming the bight of the clip and thence reversing its shape through a still further reflex bend, together With a small backup protuberance integral with the base member and in engagement with the clip under its initial bend to minimizing flexing of the clip at the initial bend during use of the connector.

Still another object of this invention resides in an improved terminal block bridging connector member having C-shaped conductor end clips accurately and uniformly shaped and spaced in plural arrangements on a semi-rigid dielectric base member, all clips facing in the same direction and each clip having associated therewith a small protuberance integral with and extending from the base member and backing a reflex bend in the conductor clip which occurs at the location where the clip material projects from the base member material.

Further novel features and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred structure and embodiment, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of a crimping machine in accord with the present invention, the machine being mounted on a work table in the position in which it is most conveniently used;

FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged perspective views showing various stages in the shapes of the machine i made and improved connector workpiece of this invention, FIGURE 2 illustrating a preconstructed bridging connector, prior to being placed in the machine, having three bridging conductors with their six terminal end portions extending perpendicular from the dielectric base, FIGURE 3 showing an intermediate stage in the shaping of the crimped terminal ends of the conductors which occurs approximately two-thirds of the way through the crimping machine forming cycle, and FIGURE 4 illustrates the connector end product in place on six terminals of a terminal block after the crimping operation is complete (the connector shapes in these three figures can be correlated approximately with FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the crimping machine of the present invention and shows the two rams, their associated pneumatic motors and the three relatively shiftable tool parts;

FIGURE 6 is a section view taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 and shows the machine inclined in the manner in which it will be mounted on an assembly table;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged detail perspective view illustrating the multiple tooth t-ool part which, in the machine assembly, is secured to one of the pneumatically operated rams seen in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged detail perspective to substantially the same scale as FIGURE 7, showing a fixed tool part which includes a plurality of studs and which, in assembly, is removably inserted from the underside into the bed of the machine shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged perspective, again to substantially the same scale as FIGURE 7, illustrating a workpiece and a jig which in fact is a third tool assembly inserted and removed from the second ram member seen in FIGURE 5. The jig is adapted to receive a preconstructed connector workpiece, the jig and portions of the retained workpiece constituting, in combination, the third tool assembly;

FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 are enlarged plan views of the central portion of FIGURE 5 to depict, respectively, stages during the crimping cycle. In FIGURE 10, the start position of the rams is shown with a preformed connector workpiece such as in FIGURE 2 disposed in its jig and the jig and workpiece placed in initial position; FIGURE 11 shows the disposition of the two rarns after they have progressed thru approximately two-thirds of the crimping stroke and have accomplished an intermediate or partial crimping of the terminal ends of the conductors to a shape such as shown in FIGURE 3; and FIGURE 12 shows the completion of the strokes of both rams to complete the final crimping with reflex bends adjacent the terminal ends of the conductors, this final view showing the shapes of the crimped connectors prior to retraction of the rams which will permit the connectors to expand slightly under inherent springiness to the shape seen in FIGURE 4 and thereby enable removal of the connector from the machine and FIGURE 13 illustrates a simple basic pneumatic actuating and control system for the machine motors.

Both of the illustrated machine embodiments include the same basic components, the embodiment shown in FIGURE 5 constituting a refined arrangement of the machine assembly shown in FIGURE 1. The specific description will be primarily directed to the embodiment of FIGURE 5; however, with respect to FIGURE 1, a general description of the machine follows.

The crimping machine of FIGURE 1 is secured to the front edge of a production bench or table 22. A mounting bracket assembly 24 is bolted to the edge of the table and the base plate or bed 26 of the machine 20 in turn is rigidly secured to bracket assembly 24 in an inclined disposition, an arrangement enabling convenient insertion and removal of the work-pieces. Bed 26 provides a planar upper surface and has two integral shalf-like extensions 28 and 30 at top and bottom edges to which are rigidly secured four pneumatic motors 32, 34, 36 and 38. All four motors are double acting piston type, commercially available units. The reciprocable piston rods 40, 42, 44 and 46 are clearly shown extending toward and connected to the rams of the machine.

The two slidable rams 48 and 50 are made from fiat blocks of steel having lower fiat faces in surface sliding engagement with the upper planar surface of bed 26. Slots 52 and 53 in upper ram 48 and slots 54 and 55 in lower ram 58 constitute tracks for guiding the reciproeating movement of the two rams. Slots 52 and 53 of the upper ram fit with a close sliding fit over two guide pins 56 and 58 secured in and projecting up from the bed 26. In a similar manner two additional guide pins 68 and 62, also secured in the bed, have a close sliding fit in guide tracks '54 and 55 of the lower ram 50. Retaining plates 64 and 66, secured by screws to support blocks and to the ends of bed 26 overlay and retain the rams on their guide pins and in sliding engagement with the upper surface of bed 25.

Fastened to the outer edge of upper ram 48 is an adapted 68 which in turn is secured by threaded studs (not shown) to the ends of piston rods 40 and 42 of the two upper motors. A similar adapter 70 is secured in like manner to the lower ram 50 and to the piston rods 44 and 46 of the two lower motors 36 and 38. Reciprocation of the two upper motors 32 and 34 imparts reciprocating motion to the upper ram 48 and reciprocation of the two lower motors 36 and 38 imparts reciprocating motion to the lower ram 50.

Upper ram 48 on its working edge face is provided with a plurality of tooth like projections 72 which constitute the actual tool portions operable by the first ram 48. The teeth can be made integral with the ram or on a separable portion as in the second embodiment. The lower ram 50 retains, supports and shifts a workpiece held in a jig, such as seen in FIGURE 9, although no jig or workpiece is shown in FIGURE 1. During operation, a jig and connector work-piece assembly is placed in a notched recess 74 located on the edge of ram 50 which faces the teeth of the upper ram 48. Inasmuch as the jig is a small rectangular flat block and is disposed substantially normal to the ram 50, to assure rigidity a small gusset shaped backing block 76, secured by means of screws to the upper surface of ram 50, serves as a backup abutment behind the jig. The lower ram 50, the jig and a portion of the workpiece, as will be more fully described, are in fact one of the tool means and, in conjunction with the upper ram and its tool teeth 72, co-operate with a third work-piece located between the two rams.

The third workpiece is a sub-assembly consisting of a mounting block carrying a plurality of upstanding round studs 82 (made from a tough hard metal like drill rod) which project up from the plane of the bed 26 a distance at least equal to the thickness of rams 48 and 50. The relationships between studs 82 (which are miniature mandrels) and teeth 72 will be described hereinafter in conjunction with the second embodiment.

It is noted that a pre-constructed workpiece, as shown in FIGURE 2, is placed in a jig as shown in FIGURE 9. The jig is then placed into the notch 74 and against the backing gusset 76 of the lower ram 50 with the protruding terminal strips on the workpiece passing between studs 82 and terminating in front of teeth 72 in the manner shown in FIGURE 10. Subsequent energization of all four motors, 32, 34, 36 and 38 will cause the upper ram 48 and the lower ram 50 to be slidably shifted toward each other and at opposed angles across the face of bed 26. The teeth 72 on the upper ram force one end of all connector terminal strips toward the left and simultaneously the lower ram 50 shifts the jig and workpiece, which contains the anchored body of the strip which forms the terminals, also to the left. The studs 82 remain fixed and stationary in bed 26 and provide a fixed abutment acting against the mid points of the connector strips on the workpiece. Continued sliding movement of the rams toward each other and at an angle will bend the connector terminal strips in a C- or U-shape around the studs 82 and completion of the ram movement shapes reflex bends in the terminal strip clips as will be fully explained hereinafter. All four ram motors with their two rams are then retracted, leaving the jig and the workpiece loosely hanging on the studs 82. The jig and workpiece may then be slid up off the studs 82 and the workpiece removed fr-om the jig. If necessary, the end of the connector base can be clipped to make it a finished item, or the length can be a predetermined final size before the connector piece is placed in the machine.

Second embodiment The second and refined embodiment of a clip crimping machine 100 is shown in plan view in FIGURE 5 and in sectioned elevation in FIGURE 6. Machine 100 is constructed on a bed 102 made from a square plate of cold rolled steel, milled or otherwise shaped so that its upper surface provides a flat sliding bed for the two rams, later described. The plane flat bed surface 104 terminates adjacent two of the edges of the bed in upstanding shoulder portions 106, 107, 108, 109 and 110 which are shaped to accommodate assembly of ram motors 112, 114, 116 and 118. The four motors, as in the first embodiment, are double acting piston type pneumatic motors and are commercially available. They are shown somewhat schematically and in FIGURE 5 do not have the pneumatic line connections shown.

The two upper motors 112 and 114 are secured in side by side parallel arrangement to a support plate 120 made of cold rolled steel and the support plate in turn is rigidly fastened to the sides of bed shoulders 106, 107 and 108 by screws 122. The two lower motors 116 and 118 are mounted on a similar support plate 124 which in turn is rigidly fastened to bed plate shoulders 108, 109 and 110 by screws.

All four motors are secured in a similar manner to their support plates respectively 120 and 124, one such means being illustrated for the motor 114. Each motor has a threaded spigot portion 126 which fits through a hole 128 in its associated support plate 120. A hexagonal nut 130 threaded on spigot portion 126 clamps the motor housing to the plate 120. Similar nuts 131, 132 and 133 secure the other three motors to their respective support plates. The housing spigot portion of motor 114 has a coaxial through bore 136 enabling passage of the reciprocable piston rod 138 disposed in a path parallel to the flat plane surface 104 of bed 102. The end of piston rod 138 is provided with a threaded blind bore 140 into which is threadedly secured a ram connecting stud 142. Piston rods 144, 146 and 148 of motors 112, 116 and 118 respectively are identically secured to their respective rams, and all piston rods reciprocate along axes which lie in a same plane parallel to and disposed above the plane flat face of bed 102.

The two piston rods 142 and 144 of the upper motors reciprocate in paths which are parallel to each other and in .a similar manner the two piston rods 146 and 148 of the lower motors also reciprocate in paths which are parallel to each other. However, as seen in FIGURE 5, the axes of piston rods 142 and 144 are disposed in paths which are perpendicular to the paths of piston rods 146 and 148. 'It is noted that this angle does not necessarily have to be 90, the 90? disposition being selected so that the directional components of bending forces at the beginning and the end of a crimping operation are substantially equal. As will be later apparent, the bending force at the start of the machine cycle is in a path which extends horizontally of the machine as shown in FIG- URE 5, whereas the bending load at the termination of operation is in a path which extends substantially normal to the initial horizontal bending force. There are several variable components of bending occurring at the termination of the work stroke of the cycle (FIGURE 12).

As clearly shown in FIGURE 5, the mounting nuts and pistons of the four motors, when assembled on mounting plates 120 and 124 and when the mounting plates are secured to the bed 102, will be disposed in the open spaces between adjacent ones of shoulders 106, 107, 108,

6 109 and and the piston rods reciprocate in paths located just above the plane flat face 104 of bed 102.

Studs 142 in the rods of the two upper motors 112 and 114 secure the respective piston rods to a side edge of an upper ram 150 and in a like manner the piston rods of the two lower motors 116 and 118 are secured to a side edge of lower ram 152. While the two rams 150 and 152 are both somewhat triangular in shape they are two distinctly different components.

Considering the edge face 154 as the rear edge of upper ram 150 to which the piston rods of motors 112 and 114 are connected, the upper ram 150 has an elongated plane face 156 along one of its edges which extends perpendicularly from the rear edge 154 and .a short plane face 158 which is parallel to face 156 and also extends perpendicular from the rear edge 154. The two edges faces 156 and 158 constitute guide surfaces which are parallel to the aXes of piston rods 142 and 144 and cooperate with tool steel guide blocks 160 and 162 which provide guide tracks during the work cycle reciprocation of ram 150. Guide block 160 is rigidly secured along one edge of the plane face 104 of bed 102 by screws 164 and locator pins 166 so that its tracking edge 168 cooperates with the elongate plane face of edge 156 of ram 150. Guide block 162 is fitted into the corner of the bed plate shoulder 108 and rigidly secured to bed plate 102 by screw 168 and locator pins 170 and provides guide tracks for both the upper and lower rams 150 and 152 by means of its perpendicular edge faces 172 and 174. The guide block edge 172 is parallel and accurately located relative to the guide track 168 of block 160 and cooperates with the short plane face of edge 158 of the upper ram 150'. edge 176, has parallel short guide face 178 and long guide face 180. Short guide face 178 cooperates with the pre- The lower ram 152 is similarly secured to the two piston rods 146 and 148 of the lower motors along its base viously described guide track face 174 of block 162 and the long guide face 180 cooperates with the guide track 182 of another guide block 184 secured to bed 102 in a manner identical to that described for guide block 160'. All blocks are made of tool steel in order to resist the wear and forces which occur during the work strokes of the rams.

When the two rams are retracted by their respective motors the limit of travel is defined by abutment of rear edge face 154 of the upper ram 150 against the faces of shoulders 106, 107 and 108 and abutment of the rear edge face of lower ram 152 against shoulders 108, 109 and 110. The work stroke limit of both rams is determined by abutment of the respective rams 150 and 152 against stop blocks 186 and 188, respectively, which are secured to the bed 102 by means of the locator pins 190 and 192 and screws 104 and 196. The edge face 198 of upper ram 150 opposite the rear edge face 154 is disposed perpendicular to the direction of travel of ram 150 and constitutes a limiting abutment on ram 150 which can engage a parallel abutment surface 200 on the stop block 186. A similar end limit abutment surface 202 on lower ram 152 will engage a stop abutment surface 204 on stop block 188 to determine the work stroke limit of the lower ram 152.

Both of the edge faces of the rams 1'50 and 152 which are in facing relationship are recessed and the bottoms of the two recesses provide surfaces which are perpendicular to the plane'surface 104 of bed 102 and are also parallel to one another throughout the strokes of their respective rams. The recess 210 in upper ram 150 provides a seat to receive a tool piece 212, secured therein as by screws. The recess in lower ram 152 provides an edge surface 214 and an end shoulder 216, the recess receiving a flat workpiece jig 218 in a removable manner as will be hereinafter fully described, the jig being illustrated in FIGURE 9. The flat jig plate 218 fits in the machine assembly with its planar form disposed perpendicular to the plane face 104 of machine bed 102 and results in 7 the major extent of jig 218 projecting up above the top surface of ram 152 (see FIGURE 6). Because the jig 218 is freely placed in the lower ram recess and is not rigidly secured therein, two gusset blocks 220 and 222 provide backing support for a jig located in the lower ram. The front edges of the two gusset blocks 220 and 222 are planar and disposed in the same plane as the base face 214 of the lower ram recess thus the back surface of jig 218 when placed in the lower ram recess will be firmly supported against the two gusset blocks. The gusset blocks are secured to ram 152 by screws which can be inserted from and countersunk into the underside of the lower ram.

An elongate aperture (slot) disposed laterally in the machine bed 102 approximately at its mid position enables a tool device subassembly 228 (FIGURE 8) to be inserted in the machine bed 102 from the underneath side of the bed. The tool subassembly 228 will be described in detail hereinafter, suliicient at this point to note that the width of the tool assembly 228 is correlated to the width of the opening 226 to provide a smooth sliding fit as the tool subassembly is inserted into position whereas the length of the tool subassembly 228 is sufficiently shorter than the length of opening 226 to provide a slight amount of lateral adjusting movement of the tool subassernbly for purposes to be described. The tool 228 is rigidly secured by means of screws 230 on the underside of bed 102.

Triangular brackets 232 and plates 233 and 234 are secured together and to the bed 102 by screw to form a mounting arrangement whereby the machine can be secured in inclined disposition on the edge of a production work bench 235.

The two rams 150 and 152 are slidable in paths which are co lanar and cross the flat face 104 of bed 102 to converge with simultaneous movement of both rams at a 90 angle. Both rams move relative to the tool assembly 228- which is fixed in bed 102. Thus upper ram 150 moves in a path which, relative to the elongate extent of tool assembly 228 is 45 and in a similar manner the lower ram 152 also moves in a path which is 45 relative to the elongate extent of tool assembly 228.

The pneumatic actuating system provided for the four motors 112 through 118 can be a simple basic pneumatic system such as illustrated schematically in FIGURE 13. The control valve 240 can be conventional two way spool valve spring loaded in one direction and operated in the opposite sense against the spring biasing force by a button or pedal unit 242, depending on whether the operator operates it by hand or by foot. A pressure line 244 and return line 246 in fluid communication with a pneumatic pressure source are connected to valve 240 and thereby directed in a known manner to system main lines 248 and 250. With valve 240 in its normal spring biased position, main line 248 is a pneumatic exhaust line and main line 250 becomes the line subjected to pneumatic pressure. Via connections from main line 250 through appropriate branch conduits 252 and 254 the pneumatic pressure condition from line 250 is connected in parallel to the retract side of the pistons on all four of the pneumatic motors 112, 114, 116 and 118. The other main line conduit 248 connects through branch line 256 to the second expansible chambers of upper ram motors 112 and 114 and, through a second branch conduit 258, to the second expansible chambers of the lower ram motors 116 and 118. Thus with the control valve 240 in its spring biased condition pneumatic fluid under pressure through line 244 is directed to the expansible chambers of all four pneumatic motors forcing the pistons back into the motor chambers and exhausting the second expansible chambers through the two branches 256 and 258 into main line conduit 248 through control valve 242 exhaust. Thus all four motors will retract and pull their associated rams 150 and 152 to a retract limit position.

To operate the crimping rams through their Work strokes, pressure on button 242 will shift the control valve which diverts the pneumatic fluid under pressure from line 8 244 into main line 248 and connects the main line conduit 250 to the exhaust conduit 246. This condition of the control valve permits the first chambers of all four motors to be connected through the main line conduit 250 to exhaust and at the same time pressurizes the main line conduit 248 and both of its branch conduits 256 and 258 toapply pneumatic fluid under pressure to the second expansible chambers of all four motors 112, 114, 11-6 and 118. If no force resists the movement of rams and 152 all four motors should move at the same speed. However, due to intricities and different reactive forces during the crimping operations, as will be later described, there may be more force resisting movement of one of the rams than there is resisting the movement of the other rams. To attend to such differences in op erating forces a pressure regulating valve such as valve 260 can be inserted in one of the branch lines from main line conduit 248 to provide desired control of variation in pressure between the two branch lines 256 and 258 to the respective sets of upper motors and lower motors.

A still more accurate control between pressures which are applied to the upper set of motors 112 and 114 and to the lower set of motors 116 and 118 can be accomplished by adding a second pressure regulator valve 262 in the branch conduit 258 directed to the second expansible chambers of the two lower motors 116 and 118. In this manner accurate control of the pressures in each of the branch lines 256 and 258 can be adjusted regardless of variations in the pneumatic pressure source entering through line 244.

Variations in the pressure applied to the upper set of motors and to the lower set of motors may be required due to thicknesses of wire which are used to make the crimped spring clips or to the size of the clips which are being made or to similar causes. Similarly there may be desired variations in the length of strokes of each of the two rams 150 and 152 dependent upon the thickness and extent of bends desired in the spring clips. The length of stroke can be changed very readily by using different sets of stop blocks 186 and 188. For example in one embodiment of clip being made the stop blocks are shaped to provide an upper ram stroke travel of .296 inch and a lower ram stroke travel of .281 inch in order that the lower ram complete its stroke an instant sooner than does the upper ram. This relationship is desirable particularly with very small clips as it enables the plastic workpiece body with its tool abutment protuberances to be fully seated at the end of the stroke just before the steel teeth press the open reflex clip end down tight as will be more fully described. These examples are given merely to show that the stroke of both rams is not necessarily the same although it very well could be depending upon the thickness and the precise shape of clip which is desired.

Turning now to FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, FIGURE 7 illustrates the toothed tool piece 212, FIGURE 8 illustrates the mandrel or stud tool assembly 228 and FIGURE 9 illustrates the jig 218 together with a connector workpiece 270. The jig 218 and workpiece 270 are used together and provide an effective third tool assembly.

The tool piece 212 which, as previously described, is secured to the recess 210 in upper ram 150 is made from air hardened tool steel having two countersunk screw holes 272, one formed adjacent each end of the tool piece. The rear face 274 of tool 212 is flat and in assembly is abutted squarely against the flat face or recess 218 in upper ram 150 and held securely by screws as described. The free face of tool 212 is provided with a series of tooth like vertically extended parallel abutments 276 arranged in a saw tooth manner, each tooth abutment 276 having a similar shape. In the tool piece shown in FIGURE 7, there are 9 such tooth abutments although more or less could be utilized depending upon the size of the machine and the number of clips which appear on a. connector and which are desired to be simultaneously shaped. The peaks of each of tooth abutments 276 are rounded and are all spaced an equal distance from the adjacent toothed abutment. The vertical width of tool piece 212 can vary and may even be constructed slightly greater than the thickness of its associated ram 150, however, in the illustrated embodiment the tool piece 212 is the same thickness of that of ram 150.

The tool assembly 228 shown in FIGURE 8 is also made of air hardened tool steel, the cross sectional shape of which permits insertion of piece 228 into the elongate hole 226 previously described in the machine bed 102 to provide a smooth snug sliding fit across the width of tool piece 228 and yet permit slight play lengthwise relative to the hole 226. The vertical depth of the piece 228 is greater than the thickness through the plane portion of bed 102; however, the distance from the top face 280 of tool piece 228 down to the shoulders of the forked end lugs 282 and 284 is substantially equal to the thickness of machine bed 102. When the tool piece 228 is inserted from beneath the machine bed 102 into the hole 226 the end lugs 282 and 284 will limit the extent of insertion so that the top face 280 of the tool piece 228 is disposed level with the plane working surface 104 of the bed 102. The aforedescn'bed screws 230 which secure the tool piece 223 to the bed 102 cooperate with the forked lugs 228 and 284 and thereby clamp the tool piece 228 to bed 102.

The tool piece 228, before being hardened, is drilled at a plurality of locations equidistinctly spaced apart extending vertically through the piece 228 and being disposed in a straight line centrally located along the elongate extent of the tool piece 228. The axes of all such drilled openings lie in a common plane and each such opening receives a short length of drill rod 286 to serve as a mandrel. Each of the plurality of drill rods 286 extends to the bottom of tool piece 228 and is secured in position by a set screw 288. The set screws for alternate ones of the drill rods 286 are placed on opposite sides of the tool piece 228 for clearance purposes. The spacing relationships shown in FIGURE 7 and in FIGURE 8 are such that the distance between each of the toothed abutments 276 is twice as great as a distance between each of the drill rods 286 and that relationship is more clearly apparent in FIGURE 12. The reason for this relationship will become apparent as the description proceeds.

FIGURE 9 illustrates jig 218 holding a preliminarily formed connector workpiece 270. While the connectors made by the crimping machine hereindescribed are utilized for the same purpose as the connectors shown in United States Patents Nos. 3,181,109 and 3,188,603, the connectors shown in those patents are made by hand, using several individual hand tools to form the shape of each of the clips. As is true of the connector members shown in those patents the connector member 270 of the present invention is initially made with an elongated, preferably rectangular base member 290 desirably formed of a rigid plastic material which serves as an insulator for electric current. The base member 290 can be made of other suitable insulation materials. Base 290 is preferably rather thin and several (three being shown) metal conductors 292, 294 and 296 have elongated center portions embedded in the plastic material. As shown, it is preferable that the conductor materials are made from flat strips of a metallic material having a relatively high electrical conductivity. For example this material can be made with a copper core having a silver coating. Each of the plurality of conductors 292 through 296 has two terminal end portions, 292a and 292b for conductor strip 292, 294a and 29 1b for conductor strip 294 and 2960 and 2961b for conductor strip 296. These terminal end portions project out from one face of the plastic member 290 and in a preformed workpiece, such as 270 in FIGURE 9 and 270 in FIGURE 2 wherein equivalent components are referenced with primed numbers, they project at 90 to the fiat face.

10 is not part of the present invention. However, the stop lug 298 is located approximately half way between two projecting terminal end portions and is an integral part of the plastic strip 290.

An important aspect of the present invention over the clips shown in FIGURE 4 of US. Patents Nos. 3,181,109 and 3,188,603 is the provision of semi-cylindrical abutments 300 for connector 270 and 300 for connector 270, integral with the plastic strip 290 and located immediately adjacent the base ends of the conductor terminal end portions 292a, 292b, 294a, 2941), 296a and 296b. These small plastic abutments are shaped as half cylinders having substantially the same diameter as the diameter of drill rod or mandrel pieces 286 in tool assembly 228 and provide several distinctive functions. First, during the machine crimping of the terminal end portions of the connector strips 292. 294 and 296, the semi-cylindrical abutments 300 serve as tool members which aid in the crimping and shaping of the terminal end portions into spring clips (see FIGURES 11 and 12). Second, they serve as curved backup members for each spring clip on a complete connector as shown in FIGURE 4. This backup abutment is located adjacent the location where each clip projects out of the plastic strip material, a location of concentrated stress and strain due to flexing of the clips during installation and removable of the connector members. The curved abutment provides a surface which spreads stress and strain over a great extent of the clip material and increases useful clip life.

As can be seen in FIGURE 9, the plastic body 290 of the preformed connector 270 may be longer than necessary for the final connector. This might be desired primarily for ease in handling and shaping, the excess plastic material being easily trimmed off in a final operation along the dotted line 302.

A workpiece jig 218 (FIGURE 9) has a major body portion 304 made of a flat rectangular piece of tool steel approximately fit-inch thick, i.e., the thickness is equal to the depth of the recess shoulder 216 in lower ram 152. One end of jig 218 has a pressure edge which is acted upon by shoulder 216 of the :recess in ram 152. Because that pressure edge gets the greatest wear, a replaceable strip 306 is secured to that end of the main jig body 304 by countersunk screws 308. Thus when the maximum wear on jig 218 is reached, the pressure strip 306 can be replaced, avoiding the necessity of replacing a complete jig.

Along the lower front face of jig 218 a rabbeted groove is provided to receive the plastic body 290 of a preformed work-piece 270. The depth of the rabbeted groove 310 is approximately the same as the thickness of the plastic body 290 of the workpiece and the width of groove 310 is equal to the width of the plastic body 290. As seen in FIGURE 9, the left hand end of rabbeted groove 310 is provided with a notched recess shaped to coact with the notched end of body 290 of workpiece 270. If that end of the workpiece 270 were squared the end of the recess 310 could be squared, i.e., the left hand of the recess as shown in FIGURE 9 can be made in a shape to correspond with the shape of the end of the workpiece.

Two spring clips 312 and 314 are secured as fingers by screws 316 and 318 to the front face of jig body 304. The two clips are sprung to create a friction against a workpiece 270 placed in the rabbeted groove 310. However, an

operator can pivot the two fingers away from engagement over the rabbeted groove 310 enabling insertion and removable of the workpiece 270. Engagement of the two spring fingers with a workpiece 270 should be adjacent the ends of the workpiece in order to clear the tool portions 212 and 228 during shaping of the clips on the connector. If the preformed workpiece 270 has the termnial end portions of the conductors spaced further apart than shown in 7 FIGURE 9, the right hand spring finger 314 might have to Formed integral with the plastic surface of the base member strip 290 is a stop lug 298, the purpose of which be shifted to the adjacent screw hole 320. It is to be understood that different sized jigs are used for different widths of connectors to be made. For example it is apparent that the preformed connector workpiece 270 shown in FIG- URE 9 has a width which is about of the width of the connector workpiece 270' shown in FIGURE 2. Accordingly, the width of the rabbetted groove in a jig intended to carry the connector workpiece 270 would be wider and possibly deeper than the illustrated rabbetted groove 310 shown in FIGURE 9.

Forming operation As shown in FIGURE 10, both the upper ram 150 and the lower ram 152 are in their fully retracted positions which is the same positon as that shown in FIGURE 5. In such position, and with a workpiece 270 inserted in the jig in the .manner shown in FIGURE 9, the jig 218 with a preformed workpiece is placed against wall 214 and shoulder 216 of the recess in the lower ram 152 with the jig 218 resting against the gusset blocks 220 and 222. Insertion of the combination jig and workpiece in such manner will place the terminal end portions 292a, 294a, etc. extending perpendicularly from the face of jig 218 and parallel to the plane surface 104 of machine bed 192. So positioned, each of the terminal end portions 292a, etc., extends and lightly tangentially engages one of the drill rod mandrel studs 286 which extend up perpendicular from the plane of the machine bed surface 104.

Six of the conductor terminal end portions are shown in FIGURE 10 and are so spaced along the length of a plastic body 290 that they consecutively engage the front straight face of six of the toothed abutments 276 on the upper ram workpiece 212. The intermediate connecting portion of the terminal end portions are of course embedded in the plastic body to 90, but where they exit from that plastic body each of those terminal portions is backed on its right hand side by one of the semi-cylindrical plastic protuberances 300 integral with the plastic body 290. Since plastic body 290 is securely received and held in the rabbeted recess 310 of jig 218 and jig 218 is securely disposed in the recess of the lower ram 152, the protuberances 300 in effect become workpiece abutments. Upon movement of the lower ram in the direction of the arrows (see FIGURES 10, 11 and 12) along the guide tracks 174 and 182, the plastic protuberances 300 will tend to shift the base ends of the terminal end portions 292a, etc. simultaneously toward the left of the machine and also up toward the line of drill rod studs 286. Also, the ends of each of the conductor terminal end portions 292a etc., which project up and engage the straight sides of toothed abutments 276 will be forced toward the left hand side of the machine upon working movement of the upper ram 150 in the direction of the arrows along guide tracks 168 and 172. That ram movement forces the upper ends of the terminal end portions toward the left and down toward the line of drill rod studs 286.

The spacing between each of the conductor terminal end portions 292a, etc., and their associated half cylindrical protuberances 300 is equal to or in multiples of the distance between each of the toothed abutments 276 on tool piece 212. The preformed connector workpiece 270 is so constructed that when it is disposed in its associated jig 218 and the jig is placed in proper position in the lower ram 152, each of the perpendicular conductor end portions 292a, etc., will be touching the front face of an associated toothed abutment on the same side as that terminal end portions associated backup protuberance 300. Each conductor end portion extends past and beyond an associated drill rod stud 286 a distance sufiicient, when the end is bent over, to extend over two adjacent drill rod studs and has its left or other side touching the left hand adjacent drill rod stud 286.

As previously described, there are two drill rod studs located in a space equivalent to the spaces between the toothed abutments 276. Therefore if two of the conductor terminal end portions such as portions 292a and 294a extend into engagement with the front faces of two adjacent toothed abutments 276 there will be a non-engaged drill rod stud 286 located between the two drill rod studs 286 which are in tangential engagement with those two conductor terminal end portions 292a and 2940. This condition is clearly shown in FIGURE 10. If the connector piece is so designed, more than one conductor terminal end portion can be located at the same lengthwise position although spaced apart across the width of the plastic body 290. Therefore, more than one terminal end portion can be formed into a spring clip in one operation by the same toothed abutment 276 and the same drill rod studs 286. Thus the location of the finally formed spring clips will depend upon the desired design configuration of the complete connector.

With jig 218 and its contained preformed connector workpiece 270 placed in the position shown in FIG- URE 10, the machine is ready to be operated through a work stroke and retract cycle. The operator manipulates control valve 240 (FIGURE 13) and energizes the four ram motors to operate and shift the rams and 152 toward their abutment stops 200 and 204.

FIGURE 11 illustrates an intermediate machine condition in which the two rams 150 and 152 have shifted through approximately of their work stroke. In FIG- URE 11 the part of each conductor terminal end portion 292a, etc., which was in engagement tangentially with an associated drill rod stud 286 stays in essentially the same position with no effective shift relative to the drill rod stud. However, the part of the conductor terminal end portion closest to the plastic body strip 290 is shifted to the left and at the same time moved closer to the row of drill rod studs by the work stroke movement of the lower ram 152. Simultaneously, the end portion which extends beyond the drill rod pins and into engagement with the front surfaces of toothed abutments 276 is also being shifted to the left and down toward the row of drill rod studs 286 with its free end overlying the next adjacent drill rod stud 286 to the left. This movement is due to the work stroke of the upper ram 150 which shifts the tool piece 212 toward the left and closer to the drill rod studs.

As clearly shown in FIGURE 11, these two simultaneous shifting movements of rams 150 and 152 form the initial C or U-bend or bight of each terminal end portion and FIGURE 11 also shows the initial, smoothly curved bend of the terminal end portions adjacent the position where they exist from the plastic strip 290, the initial bend being formed over the half cylindrical protuberances 300.

Note in both of FIGURES 10 and 11 that the lower ram 152 has a shorter stroke to its abutment stop 204 than does the upper ram 150 to its abutment stop shoulder 200 and therefore the lower ram completes its stroke a minute increment before the upper ram finishes its stroke. This relationship permits the initial bend of the clip to be completely formed by the plastic protuberance 300 without having interference from the matching abutment tooth. The tooth 276 being made of steel can finish its stroke, after the lower ram stroke is completed, and assure shaping of the clip reflex end without a deformation of the steel tooth whereas, if the plastic protuberance had to force the initial bend of the conductor up between studs against a fully seated steel tooth, the plastic protuberance 300 could be deformed with resultant improper initial bend shape for the clip.

Both of the rams 150 and 152 continue their simultaneous shift as they move from the position shown in FIGURE 11 to the final stop or termination position of the work stroke shown in FIGURE 12. During this shifting movement, the rounded ends of the toothed abutments 276 slide along the horizontal bent ends of each terminal end portion as they shift slightly toward the left and at the same time force the center of that small end down between the two engaged drill rod studs 286 thereby forming a reflex curve in the end of each conductor terminal end portion as the tip of each toothed abutment moves into a position somewhat between the adjacent drill rod studs 286 as seen in FIGURE 12. During and before completion of the just described movement of upper ram 150 the lower ram 152 completes its movement shifting further toward the left and up closer to the drill rod pins. Such action results in the formation of a reflex curve in the conductor terminal end strip adjacent the plastic strip 290. That reflex curve is formed between the drill rod stud 286 which is located in the bight of the spring clip and the half cylindrical protuberances 360 which tend to force the base portion of the terminal end portions up between two adjacent drill rod pins where it is almost immediately engaged by the refiexed terminal end which is being pushed down between the same two studs by the curved end of the associated toothed abutment 276. Protuberances 300 being made of the same plastic material as is the body 290, can be somewhat deformed during this final stage operation thus preventing rupture or destruction of the tool parts, however the initial bend in the clip has been fully formed at this stage and pressure by the seating steel tooth does not thereafter deform the set of the initial bend.

In the condition as shown in FIGURE 12, both rams 150 and 152 are in abutment with the stop blocks 186 and 188 respectively and the shaped terminal end clips are tightly encircling the drill rod pins 286. If these clips remained in that shape there would be difficulty in removing the connector piece from the drill rod pins. However, the metallic conductors which provide the terminal end portions have an inherent springiness and while the shapes formed in FIGURE 12 remain somewhat as shown, the clips tend to spring back a slight amount when the two rams are retracted to a retract position. That effect serves to loosen all of the shaped spring clips on their associated drill rod pins. Nevertheless, because the clips now encircle the pins, the connector piece 270 cannot be pulled back away from the drill rod pins as the lower ram 152 moves back to its retract position and because the connector 270x (FIGURE 12) is held in the rabbeted recess 310 of jig 218 the jig itself cannot move back with retraction of ram 152. Therefore, the combination jig 218 and finished connector workpiece remains on the drill rod pins 286. However, because they are loose on the pins, the operator can remove the jig and the connector piece 270x by vertically sliding the clips up off the drill rod pins. Thereafter the spring fingers 312 and 314 can be pivoted to one side and the substantially finished connector piece 270x removed from the jig and trimmed as described.

If it is desired that the work and retract strokes be automatically timed a suitable timer 264, FIGURE 13, can be connected to control the release and return position of the system control valve 240. Such timers can be mechanical or electrical, their use on cycle control valves for pneumatic forming machines is well-known, and such timers are commercially available as off-the-shelf items.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for crimping a terminal end of a conductor mounted in a dielectric base comprising: three relatively shiftable tool devices, means on said base forming part of one of said tool devices, said three tool devices comprising means for forming, in one cyclic operation, a serpentine connector clip on said terminal end, and power means and control means for cycling said tool devices through a cycle of operation.

2. A connector crimping machine as defined in claim 1, wherein means are included in cooperation with said power means and control means enabling said one of said tool devices to complete its work stroke portion of the operating cycle prior to completion of the work stroke portion of the operating cycle of the combined set of the other two tool devices.

3. A machine for making terminal end clips on conductors by crimping, said machine comprising: three relatively shiftable tool devices; a common base mounting said three tool devices so that the first and second said tool devices are shiftable relative to each other and relative to the third one of said tool devices; power means connected to said first and second tool devices for so shifting said tool devices; said third tool device comprising a plurality of abutment means about at least one of which is formed the bight of a crimped end clip; shifting movement of said first and said second of said tool devices resulting in engagement with and forcing of the terminal end portion of a conductor against and bending it around an associated said abutment means of said third tool device and, in cooperation with said associated abutment means and a next adjacent one of said abutment means of said third tool device, shaping reflex bends in the legs of the formed clip on both sides of the clip bight.

4. In a machine as defined in claim 3, one of said first and second tool devices including a jig member adapted to hold an elongate semi-rigid dielectric base means, said base means having a side surface and having a strip conductor therein with at least one terminal end portion of said conductor projecting normal from said side surface to be made into a C-shaped conductor end clip disposed parallel to the side of and along the long dimension of said base means with the opening of said C-shaped clip, when formed, facing one end of said base means, and said base means including a semi-cylindrical protuberance structurally integral therewith adjacent to and engaging said projecting terminal end portion of said conductor on the side opposite the opening of a clip when formed.

5. A machine as defined in claim 3 comprising: multiple tool elements in each of said three tool devices to enable simultaneously making of C-shaped conductor end clips from a plurality of terminal end portions of conductors projecting in parallel arrangement from and normal to a side face of a single common, semi-rigid, elongate dielectric base means of a workpiece.

6. In a machine as defined in claim 5, said tool elements each having sufficient dimension to accommodate a plurality of such conductor end portions at predetermined spaced apart positions across the width of said base means and at the same location in the elongate dimension of said base means.

7. A machine for crimping at least one substantially straight terminal end portion of at least one length of metal into a clip element extending from a base portion into a transverse C-shape crimp, said machine comprising: three relatively shiftable tool means, a first one of said tool means having at least a portion with a curved surface for initially tangentially engaging a part of the terminal end portion of the length of metal at a location offset from its terminal end and about which location the bight of the C-shape crimp is formed, the second and third ones of said tool means being respectively disposed on opposite sides of said first tool means; means mounting all three of said tool means enabling shifting mover ment of said second and third tool means relative to each other and to said first tool means along planar paths disposed in a common plane, the directions of said paths being inclined relative to said tangential disposition of the straight terminal end portion and which paths intersect each other; power means connected to said tool means to enable said relative shifting movements of said second and third tool means toward and away from each other; means on each of said second and third tool means for engaging second and third portions of the terminal end portion of the length of metal and during relative 15 shifting movement of said second and third members along said paths to bend the second andthird portions of the terminal end portion around said first tool means and toward each other as clip leg parts; and cooperating means located partially on said first tool means and partially on at least one of the other of said tool means for engaging and forming a reflex bend in a part of at least one of said second and third portions of the terminal end portion remote from the bight of the C-shape crimp.

8. A machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said cooperating means includes means located on said first tool means, means located on said second tool means and means located on said third tool means and said cooperating means engages and forms independent reflex bends, relative to the bight of the C-shape crimp, one reflex bend being in a part of each of said second and third portions of the terminal end portion and spaced away from the bight of the C-shaped crimped clip.

9. A machine as defined in claim 7, wherein a workpiece includes a planar base means, said base means rigidly mounts said length of metal with the substantially straight terminal end portion thereof extending transverse from said planar base, and said base is temporarily secured in and becomes a part of one of said second and third tool means.

10. A machine as defined in claim 7 for concurrently crimping a plurality of substantially straight terminal end portions of at least one length of metal, wherein said first tool means includes a plurality of spaced apart stud mandrel means extending normal to said common plane of the paths of movement of said second and third tool means and each stud mandrel means provides a said curved surface capable of providing a said tangential engagement at the ultimate bight portion of at least one of said associated straight terminal end portions, said second and said third tool means each respectively include a plurality of similar means for engaging respective second and third portions of said terminal end portions and, during relative shifting movement of said second and third tool means, to bend associated said second and third portions of each said terminal end portion around the engaged one of said stud means and toward each other.

11. A machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said first tool means includes a plurality of spaced apart round stud mandrels projecting from said common plane, disposed in a row extending normal to the location of the straight terminal end portion and one of said stud mandrels being said portion of said first means which initially tangentially engages the part of the terminal end portion;

16 the next adjacent one of said stud mandrels in the direction of bend of the terminal end portion from the stud mandrel which forms the bight of the associated terminal end portion serves as an abutment for one leg part of the associated terminal end portion and each of said engaging means of said second and third tool means is shifted partially into the spaces between said adjacent ones of said stud mandrels to thereby force the two leg parts into reflex bends between adjacent stud means.

12. In a machine for crimping a plurality of terminal ends of conductors mounted in a common dielectric base member and wherein each conductor has at least one of said terminal ends, the combination including: power means, control means, and three relatively shiftable tool means operable thereby for simultaneously forming, in one cyclic operation, a serpentine connector clip on each of said terminal ends.

13. A connector crimping machine as defined in claim 12 including a support base and, wherein two of said three tool means are directly connected to said power means and are shiftable relative to said base along intersecting opposed paths and the third of said tool means is stationary relative to said base and located between said other two tool means.

14. A connector crimping machine as defined in claim 12, wherein each said tool means has a plurality of tool mandrel and forming elements enabling forming of connector clips on multiple conductor end portions spaced along the common base member as well as enabling forming of several conductor end portions spaced side by side in the base member, during a single cyclic operation of said machine.

15. A connector crimping machine as defined in claim 14, wherein at least two of said tool means comprise separable units each of which units include a plurality of said tool mandrel and forming elements.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,409,147 10/ 1946 Neuhaus et al. 29-203 2,726,394 12/1955 Lowell 29203 3,004,581 10/1961 Krol et a1. 29203 3,031,002 4/1962 Miller 29203 X 3,181,109 4/1965 Snider 339--198 3,188,603 6/1965 Snider 339-198 JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR CRIMPING A TERMINAL END OF A CONDUCTOR MOUNTED IN A DIELECTRIC BASE COMPRISING: THREE RELATIVELY SHIFTABLE TOOL DEVICES, MEANS ON SAID BASE FORMING PART OF ONE OF SAID TOOL DEVICES, SAID THRRE TOOL DEVICES COMPRISING MEANS FOR FORMING, IN ONE CYLCLIC OPERATION, A SERPENTINE CONNECTOR CLIP ON SAID TERMINAL END, AND POWER MEANS AND CONTROL MEANS FOR CYCLING SAID TOOL DEVICES THROUGH A CYCLE OF OPERATION. 